12.1 |
Security Sector Reform
international
standards regarding capacity, conditions of confinement and
humane
treatment
of prisoners” by:
•
increasing
prison capacity by building and commissioning a new
US‑funded
Basra
Central Prison for 1,500 prisoners;
•
continuing
to strengthen the capacity of correctional services staff
by
implementing
a UK training programme and further mentoring; and
•
continuing
to monitor management of the two existing prisons.
1359.
On 3 March,
Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF), supported by MNF
troops,
carried out
a raid on the National Information and Investigation Agency (NIIA)
in
1360.
Mr Beadle
wrote to No.10 about the raid in a letter dated 16
March.1247
The
pre‑planned
operation was to detain an NIIA officer associated with death
squads who
had been a
“priority UK target for over two years”. The target was not present
and the
raid
resulted in the escape of around 30 prisoners (who had been
tortured according to
some
reports).
1361.
On 5 March,
Prime Minister Maliki’s office issued a statement condemning
the
raid as
“illegal” and “irresponsible”. Mr Maliki ordered local
security authorities, including
the police,
to cease all “joint activities” with MND(SE) until further
notice.
1362.
On the same
day, Mr Maliki told Mr Asquith that he was disappointed
at the
“reprehensible”
way in which the raid had been conducted and the violation of
Iraqi
sovereignty
that it represented.1248
He warned
that the consequence of such operations
might be
severe restrictions on the ability to deploy ISOF.
1363.
Three
investigations resulted from the raid: one by the MOI, one led
by
Mr Safa al‑Safi
(Prime Minister Maliki’s Ministerial Security Adviser on Basra) and
one
by the
MNF.1249
The MNF was
reviewing mechanisms for informing the Iraqi
Government
of
sensitive operations.
1364.
Maj Shaw wrote
in his weekly report on 8 March:
“It is
clear that the raid was both legal and, in tactical targeting
terms, a good call …
Within the
context of the wider politics of Iraq and with the benefit of
hindsight,
1246
eGram
9049/07 Baghdad to FCO London, 6 March 2007, ‘Iraq: Meeting with
Prime Minister Maliki,
5 March’.
1247
Letter
Beadle to Fletcher, 16 March 2007, ‘Iraq: National Intelligence
& Information Agency (NIIA)
Operation’.
1248
eGram
9049/07 Baghdad to FCO London, 6 March 2007, ‘Iraq: Meeting with
Prime Minister Maliki,
5 March’.
1249
Letter
Beadle to Fletcher, 16 March 2007, ‘Iraq: National Intelligence
& Information Agency (NIIA)
Operation’.
371